imam

noun

i-ˈmäm How to pronounce imam (audio)
ē-, 
-ˈmam How to pronounce imam (audio)
variants often Imam
1
: the prayer leader of a mosque
2
: a Muslim leader of the line of Ali held by Shiites to be the divinely appointed, sinless, infallible successors of Muhammad
3
: any of various rulers that claim descent from Muhammad and exercise spiritual and temporal leadership over a Muslim region

Examples of imam in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The center’s imam said Tuesday that the mosque and its community wasn’t immune to threats over the years. — Julie Watson, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2026 Latticework typical to the shrine of an imam, or religious leader, festooned the side of the truck carrying the coffins. — Marc Smith, NBC news, 6 July 2026 During last week's Friday prayers, imams in mosques in Herat issued announcements on behalf of the vice and virtue ministry that women were not allowed to leave their homes without wearing the hijab. — ABC News, 9 June 2026 The holy day commemorates the martyrdom of Al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī, who was Muhammad’s grandson by his daughter Fāṭimah and his son-in-law ʿAlī and is revered by the Shiʿah as the third imam. — Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for imam

Word History

Etymology

Arabic imām

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of imam was in 1613

Browse Nearby Words

imago
imam
imamate
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Imam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imam. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on imam

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about imam

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